After a couple of years recharging and reworking things out, former Anteros vocalist Lala Hayden is back under her own steam - and this time, she's embracing her true self. Read our latest Hype cover feature.

Words: Stephen Ackroyd.

Lala Hayden is not one for sitting still. As her latest single 'baby you're the best!' arrives, she's already riding the crest of her latest productive streak, crafting new material with the fervour of someone who's rediscovered their passion. "At the moment, I'm in the midst of a creative outburst, so I'm focused on riding the wave and writing constantly, which happens to be my favourite place to be," she enthuses.

This latest renaissance comes after a period of introspection and reinvention for Hayden. Having fronted indie band Anteros for the better part of a decade, she found herself at a crossroads following the release of their debut album in 2019. The experience left her feeling depleted, both mentally and physically. "I realised that I'd put everything in my life aside in the hopes that making an album would make it all better," she confides. "My mental health was a mess, I was anorexic... just everything was upside down. I felt like I needed to hit the pause button and deal with the mountain of shit that was only getting bigger."

What followed was a two-year hiatus from music, during which Hayden immersed herself in studies of positive psychology, holistic health, nutrition, yoga, and meditation. It was a period of intense self-discovery and healing. "It was like I needed to go back to school and learn how to be human," she reflects. This journey of self-exploration didn't just reshape Hayden's approach to life; it fundamentally altered her relationship with music.

"I thought when I took a break that I might never make music again," Hayden admits. The industry's relentless pace and the constant pressure to look ahead had taken their toll. "There's so much outside noise. The constant future-thinking - next single, next show, next best thing – there can be a temptation to look around at what others are doing and get caught up in that."

But rather than turning her back on music entirely, Hayden's sabbatical seems to have rekindled her love for the craft. Her return to the studio, collaborating with producer Ben Christophers in Hertfordshire, has been a revelation. "He creates a magic environment where I get to quiet the outside noise and just let my inner child run free," she says, with the air of an artist finally free to do what she wants to do.